The Dillon tribune., 1887-09-23

The war had up to that time been chiefly
wagctl in what was regarded as Confederate
territory. Stonewall Jackson had long been
eager to change this tactics and carry the
war into Union territory. Both he and Lee
had been casting an eye over Maryland.
Why not cross the Potomac into Maryland
by ono Of Jackson's famous foot cavalry
marches, subsist on the country and threaten
Washington from the norths
There was feeling in the south that Mary
land, geographically, politically and socially,
belonged to the Confederacy. The state con-
tanned many secession sympathizers. It was
believed that the sight of Lee and jackson
and tho stars and bars once within their bor-
ders would rouse all the Confederate enthu-
sias,n that slumbered in tho breasts of tho
Marylanders.
Gems. Lee and jackson resolved to invade
Maryland. Leo issued proclamation to tho
people of that state, telling them that he was
coming among them to aid them in throwing
off that foreign yoke which had inflicted such
wrongs and outrages upon the citizens of q
commonwealth allied to the states of tho
south by the strongest ties.
Col. Bradiuy johnson, q Confederate Mary
lander, was authorized to get recruits for the
southern army In his native state. He invited
his fellow citizens to join the Confederate
ranks. 1--WE have arms for you," he said.
''I.et each man provide himself with stout
pair of shoes, good blanket and a tin cup.
Jackson's men have no baggage"
Leo only waited for D. H. Hills brigades
from Richmond to join him. thus increasing
his battle wo:r, and storm beaten army some
what; then, September 2, he pushed OH to-
ward. the Potomac aud the north. Jackson
went first, sweeping swiftly forward. He
forded the river at Point Of Rocks, thirty
miles below Harper's Ferry, and raised the
Confederate flag in Maryland.
When Jackson reached midstream crossing
tho Potomac, it reused all the suppressed en-
thusiasm Of his nature. He paused mo-
ment, gazed across to the northern shore and
waved his hat His soldiers caught the move.
ment; cheer on cheer rent the air, the bands
struck up Maryland, My Maryland" and
ten thousand voices caught tho refrain. 30
the Confederate army entered Maryland.
Lee followed Immediately behind Jackson.
The Confederate army amounted to about
10000 men in all. They advanced swiftly or
tho town CT Frederick, Nd, reaching and
taking possession Of it September 6.
''The Lord bless your ragged, dirty souls"
said jealous southern woman to the od-
vance.
The march had been 80 rapid that thou
sands dropped by tho way and only 60,OOo
entered Frederick. II there had been any
thing triumphant or spectacular in their aI,-
pearancc, had they come with waving ban
nels and snow whitc plunes and shining new
uniforms, they would have obtained far more
recruits for the southern army. The instinct
for the dramatic, the poetic and the pictur-
esque, ever alive in the southern breast,
would not have been appealed to in vain.
But Lees men, brave and tried soldiers
though they were, We're dirty and ragged and
hungry. Many of them had no shoes, and
marched with bleeding feet and travel stained
garments. It was not very poetic, neither
inviting. The recruits Lee and Jackson had
fondly hoped for were not obtained in any
great numbers. When it came to
the scratch, Maryland seemed moro Fed
eral than Confederate, yet it was at
Frederick that tho incident which gave
rise to Whittier's poem of Barbara Friet-